Chapter 182 Convincing the Employer
Johnny's face flushed. He glared at the dejected servant standing before him and angrily demanded, "Say what you just said to me again!"
The servant lowered his head almost to his chest. Under his master's scolding, he mustered up the courage to whisper, "Captain Bank said he's taken on someone else's mission and asked you to...find someone else."
"Ha!" Johnny laughed angrily, pointing at the darkening sky. "Where am I supposed to find someone else at this hour? Also, I paid him fifty gold coins as a deposit this morning. Where's the money? If he doesn't take my mission, is he keeping the money for himself?"
The servant hurriedly pulled a purse from his pocket and handed it to his master. "This...this is Captain Bank's refund of your deposit."
Johnny snatched the purse, untied the string and looked inside. A rough count showed there were about fifty gold coins.
"Good, very good! He's quite resolute and returned my deposit." Johnny retied the rope and weighed the purse in his palm. "Marca, go back to the mercenary agency. If any mercenary team is willing to take on my mission, I'll pay double the price."
The servant named Maka raised his head, glanced quickly at his master, then lowered it again, saying shamefacedly, "Master...Master, I actually told the person in charge about switching mercenary teams, but...the person in charge said that no mercenary teams would accept missions from the Graves Family this week."
Johnny's face turned pale, and his wallet nearly burst under his crush. "Are you refusing to accept missions from the Graves family, or are you just refusing to accept missions from me?"
Damn it!
It must be that guy Bi De’s doing!
Peet was his cousin, and like him, a candidate for the Graves family's succession. Since he started getting involved in the family business last year, Peet had repeatedly used his dirty tricks to ruin several of his businesses.
The opponent was very cunning and left no evidence, leaving him unable to fight back.
This shipment is extremely important and Johnny must deliver it to the royal city within seven days, otherwise he will lose his status as a candidate for succession.
As everyone knows, the fastest way is to travel by water, but there are pirates who block the road and rob people along the way, so he spent a lot of money to hire mercenaries to escort him all the way.
Bank's subordinates include two high-level magicians and three high-level swordsmen. They are the strongest mercenary team in Baya City. The price is not cheap. It depends on the difficulty of the mission. The starting price is one thousand gold coins and there is no upper limit.
In the morning, he went to the mercenary office in person to negotiate and obtained the employment rights of Bank's team for three thousand gold coins.
However, by the evening, there was still no sign of the other party. Johnny could not bear it any longer and sent his servant Maka to the mercenary office to inquire.
When he returned and relayed Bank's words, Johnny was furious. He was even more furious when he learned that no mercenaries were willing to take on his mission.
Bede, Bede, do you think that by eliminating me as a candidate, you can safely become the sole heir?
There are five candidates for the new generation of inheritance in the Graves family. The other three cousins are all very capable, but he is the only one who is still immature and was ambushed.
Johnny closed his eyes and said in self-deprecation, "I just don't believe it. Without the escort of the mercenary group, my cargo ship can't reach the royal city!"
"Master..." Maka hesitated, his face full of worry.
"What do you want to say?" Johnny asked expressionlessly.
Maka bit his tongue and said, "Although Captain Bank didn't accept our mission, he sent us a message."
Johnny narrowed his eyes. "What news?"
Would Benny be so kind?
Maka said, "He said...if your cargo ship passes through the Andota River, it will be the focus of attention of the pirates."
Johnny clenched his fists. "Bide, you're determined to get me killed by the pirates, right?"
The young man, who had just turned twenty-five, had bloodshot eyes and a look of sorrow.
Although he and Bede are cousins, they both have the blood of the Graves family and took care of each other when they were young. Now, for the position of family heir, Bede actually killed him.
That’s great, that’s great!
As expected of the Graves family, he is naturally cold and ruthless.
Johnny only hated himself for not being ruthless enough, otherwise Bede would have died in the avalanche in the Snow Country three years ago.
He put away his money bag and said with a stern face, "Maca, have the workers move the goods as quickly as possible. We must send the ship before it gets completely dark."
"Master...are you still going to the Royal City?" Maka said with a worried look on his face. He knew there was an ambush along the way, but the master still insisted on going his own way.
"Go, why not?" Johnny sneered, "Not only do we have to go back, but we have to return to the royal city alive."
Maka hesitated. He felt that since Bank had issued a warning, the person waiting for the young master must not be an ordinary pirate.
"Young Master, why don't we wait a day and see if any mercenaries from other cities pass by here tomorrow..."
"I don't have time to wait, and I can't wait any longer!" Johnny frowned.
The goods were delivered to the dock two days later than planned. If he succeeded in hiring mercenaries tomorrow, even if he could get past the pirates, he would not be able to reach the royal city within seven days and would still lose his candidacy.
"But..." Maka said loyally, "I don't want anything to happen to you..."
Johnny was silent.
Just as the master and servant were in a stalemate, a clear voice suddenly rang out.
"Hello, handsome sir, I'm sorry to bother you."
Johnny and Maka were stunned and turned to look at the boy with black hair and black eyes.
The boy had a cute and delicate face, fine skin, and clear eyes without any impurities. He had a long black ponytail and wore a hooded cloak. Under the cloak was an ordinary magic robe, and he held a simple magic wand in his hand.
He is not tall and thin, and looks non-aggressive, but his eyes are full of affinity.
Being looked at by the boy with a smile, Johnny's bad mood inexplicably eased a little.
"Who are you? What do you want from me?" Johnny asked in a stiff tone. Don't expect a person who has just lost his temper to speak politely.
Shu Li didn't mind and politely greeted him. "I'm Sperian, a magic apprentice. Excuse me, sir, if you require a mercenary team to escort your cargo ship to the royal city?"
Johnny stared at the boy warily. "Did you eavesdrop on my conversation with Maka?"
Shu Li was unfazed by his threatening gaze and said with a smile, "You guys were talking so loudly that I could hear you clearly even from five meters away."
The implication is that he didn't intend to eavesdrop, but rather heard it accidentally while passing by.
Johnny frowned, knowing the boy wasn't lying, and sized him up with a critical eye. "You, a magic apprentice, want to escort my cargo ship?"
Don't think he is easy to fool. The magic apprentice is a novice magician. He even has trouble reciting spells. How could he want to escort a cargo ship to the royal city alone?
Too fantastic!
"Of course not, it's seven magic apprentices." Shu Li turned around and waved to his companions standing ten meters away, "Come over here!"
Soon, six young men dressed similarly to Shu Li came over. They were all handsome and had an extraordinary aura, which made Johnny and Maka look surprised.
"You... are all magic apprentices?" Johnny pointed at the six young men behind Shu Li.
"Yes." The six teenagers said in unison.
Johnny was silent.
One magic apprentice is definitely a dead giveaway to the pirates, but seven magic apprentices together are worth a magician, so there might be some chance of winning.
He hesitated.
"Please allow me to reintroduce myself," Shu Li said with a friendly smile. "We are Team Light, loyal believers in the God of Light. My name is Sperian, an intermediate magic apprentice, specializing in six types of magic..."
"Ace, an intermediate magic apprentice, specializing in wind magic."
"Kumandi, an intermediate magic apprentice, specializes in wind magic."
"Angel, an intermediate magic apprentice, specializes in light magic."
"Dizio, an intermediate magic apprentice, specializes in fire magic."
"Budno, a senior magic apprentice, specializes in water magic."
"Amanda, a senior magic apprentice, specializes in light and water magic."
After Team Light finished introducing themselves one by one, Johnny's eyes lit up with hope.
Although the seven young men in front of him were all magic apprentices, most of them were intermediate magic apprentices, and two were advanced magic apprentices, which together were equivalent to three low-level magicians.
"Why are you willing to escort my cargo ship?" Johnny lowered his voice. "If you heard my conversation with Maka, you should know that someone wants to kill me!"
Shu Li nodded honestly: "Yes, we know."
Johnny asked, "Aren't you scared?"
Shu Li said confidently, "If I were afraid, I wouldn't be a magician."
Ace stepped forward, a warm smile on his handsome face. "I have experience in adding wind magic to sails. If we succeed in this collaboration, reaching the royal city early won't be a problem."
"Seriously!" Johnny was wildly excited by the suggestion.
He was originally worried that he would not be able to reach the royal city within seven days. Even if he survived the pirates, he would lose his qualification as a candidate.
If these magic apprentices helped him speed up the cargo ship, he would have more than enough time.
Johnny didn't hesitate any longer: "Okay, I'll hire you!"
Shu Li glanced at Ace and secretly admired him.
I really need to practice my eloquence more. Look at others, they hit the nail on the head and touched the heart of their employers.
The other members of Team Light breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Johnny agreed.
It wasn’t easy, but they actually successfully received the task.
"So, how much commission do you want?" Johnny asked.
"We'll take whatever commission you give to that Banke," Shu Li said seriously.
He didn't know the market price of the mercenary group for taking missions, but he would take whatever Bank asked for, no matter what.
The other members of Team Light nodded in unison.
Their requirements are not high, the same as the market price is fine.
Johnny was amused by the seven pretentious teenagers. "Are you sure? The mercenary team led by Bank is the best mercenary in Baya City. They are worth 3,000 gold coins. Do you think you are worth 3,000 gold coins too?"
Disio slapped his chest unconvincedly: "We will only become stronger! You will know once you hire us."
Kumandi asked, "We can add wind magic, can they?"
Angel said with a smile, "Three of us know wind magic and can take turns speeding up the cargo ship. Three of us know water magic and are the nemesis of pirates."
Shu Li grinned and said, "I know wood magic. If the bottom of the boat is breached by pirates, I can repair it on the spot."
Ace delivered his most powerful blow. "Light magic can guide the cargo ship in the right direction at night, allowing it to sail as fast as in the daytime."
"Deal!" Johnny high-fived excitedly.
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